Kirk Herbstreit stepped out of his regular college football role to trade thoughts with the NFL folks on ESPN’s Sunday Countdown. But he still couldn’t get away from the Alabama-Ohio State debate.

The College GameDay personality didn’t make it 30 seconds into the show without the crew — which consists of host Sam Ponder, former coach Rex Ryan and former players Randy Moss, Matt Hasselbeck and Charles Woodson — grilling him about what was going to happen when the College Football Playoff selection show comes on the air at Noon ET.

Herbstreit was asked to give his “Sunday Statement” to start the show, and he went right where they wanted him to go:

“I can’t wait to see what the committee does with Ohio State and Alabama,” Herbstreit said.

“And I hope they get it right, Kirk,” Woodson, who was a Heisman Trophy winner at Michigan, chimed in.

“Here’s what’s interesting. What’s the right choice?” Herbstreit continued. “If it’s most deserving, you could make the case for Ohio State based on what’s on paper. Better team would be Alabama. So you have a dilemma for the committee. The whole goal, in my opinion, is to put the best four teams in this thing. And we’re going to find out if they’ll put the best four in, because you put two SEC teams in if you put Alabama in. Or do you put Ohio State in? They have three better wins than Alabama. They’re the Big Ten champ. Alabama didn’t even go to the SEC Championship [Game].

“I think they’re going to put Ohio State in, but I think Alabama should go in ahead of them.”

Woodson agreed with that sentiment.

Herbstreit, who is a former Ohio State quarterback, remained consistent with what his thoughts were after Ohio State beat Wisconsin to win the Big Ten championship on Saturday night.

Afterward, Herbstreit revealed that his personal Top 4 would be Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia and Alabama, but that he believes the committee’s Top 4 will be Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia and Ohio State.